Ms. Sadia Faizunnesa, Consul General of Bangladesh in New York
Ms. Sadia Faizunnesa has joined as the 15th Consul General of Bangladesh in New York on 1st June, 2018. She joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service on 25 January 1999 and belongs to 18th BCS (Foreign Affairs) cadre. Immediately before joining as Consul General she had served as the Director General, United Nations Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh.
She has had previous experiences and on job training on consular and welfare activities for the Bangladesh community in Germany, Austria and Czech Republic while she was posted at the Bangladesh Embassy in Berlin, Germany.
She had also served as Deputy Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York; Counsellor, Head of Chancery and Deputy Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to ESCAP, Bangkok, Thailand; and in different capacities in the bilateral, multilateral and administration wings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka.
She had actively participated as a member of Bangladesh delegation in the 68th,69th,70th, 71st and 72nd General Assembly of the United Nations. She also took part in the negotiations of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030 and also in the New York Declaration for refugees and migrants during her tenure at the Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. She facilitated the “Culture of Peace” resolution at the UN General Assembly (2013-2015)and co-facilitated the ECOSOC Humanitarian Resolution at the UN for three consecutive years (2014-2016). She had also worked as a member within Bangladesh Chairmanship of Ninth Global forum on Migration and Development GFMD (2016) task team. In her immediate past assignment as Director General (UN, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs), she worked very closely in mobilizing support of the international community and facilitating humanitarian assistance for the forcibly displaced Rohingyas.
Ms. Faizunnesa was amongst the first intake in Mymensingh Girls Cadet College, the first ever girls cadet college in Bangladesh. She passed with distinction the high school and college board exams and was honored with “All-Rounder Cadet” award. She was also the college prefect. She obtained the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Sir Salimullah Medical College in Bangladesh. Later, after joining the Bangladesh Foreign Service, she obtained Masters Degree in Development Studies from BRAC University and was conferred on Vice Chancellor’s Gold Medal. She attended professional diplomatic courses in India, Germany, France, Belgium, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Australia and in the Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy.
She was an ardent debater in her student life and was the National Champion in 1994 and Runner -up in 1993 in the Bangladesh Television debate competition. She actively participated in literary and cultural activities and is also an enlisted “A” grade singer in Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar. She loves to interact with people and passionately promote Bengali culture.
Ms. Faizunnesa takes special interest in diaspora diplomacy and strongly believes that diaspora is the strong agent for promoting image of Bangladesh around the world. She has expressed commitment to deliver her best in upholding the interests and wellbeing of the Bangladesh community. Ms. Faizunnesa has been conferred ‘Declaration of Honor’ by Queens Borough President Melinda Katz in recognition for public friendly Consular service and outreaching the vibrant Bangladesh-American community in New York on 26 March 2019.
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